In the last five years, Australia's food export industry has increased from $27 billion to $44 billion. In that same period, the country has also gained 400 more food manufacturing plants. The two are very much linked, according to Anthony Pratt, who opened Melbourne's Global Food Forum on March 28. Australia's food manufacturing sector continues to growLast month, the Australian Industry (Ai) group's monthly indices saw a 1.6 point increase for food and agriculture on its performance management index (PMI)."Our agriculture sector just made its highest contribution to GDP growth since 2008," said Mr. Pratt. One of the key contributors to this is the increased number of food manufacturing plants, meaning Australia is now able to supply the demand from overseas.For instance, according to Pratt, the country is now one of the largest exporters of goat meat in the world at $250 million. Fruit and vegetable exports to all countries are also up 200 per cent, to $3 billion. Likewise fresh meat exports have increased by 90 per cent.

Around 500,000 virtual reality headsets are expected to be sold in Australia this year, according to the Telsyte Australian VR & AR Market Study. It's not just television and entertainment that's benefiting from the advance in virtual reality (VR) technology, however.At ABM, we understand the need for efficiency and safety at all stages in the manufacturing process. This is why we believe VR is going to be the next big thing in the industry. Here's three ways VR can make your manufacturing business run more smoothly.

Around one-quarter of manufacturing employees are looking to leave their jobs, according to a survey by Global Manufacturing. At ABM, we know how important productivity is to your manufacturing business. One of the best ways to improve that productivity is to increase employee engagement. So, we've compiled a guide to engaging your manufacturing workforce, to help you retain staff and create a happier working environment.1. Frequently review payPay was the most important factor in job hunting, according to a survey conducted by ResourceMFG of over 2,500 manufacturing employees. So, you need to get your starting pay right, and frequently review it to make sure you're staying competitive. The best way to do this is through market research - make sure you're offering salaries that fall in the upper quartile of the industry's pay range.2. Provide a sense of job securityThe second most important factor for manufacturing staff was job security. This means employing them, as much as you can, on at least a 40-hour week basis, and communicating with them about upcoming work and projects, so they know their work is secure in the future.Another way to contribute to job security is train your staff up - if they have more manufacturing skills, you will be able to give them much more work than if they are only able to do one or two jobs within your company.

The government has recently announced that $50 million will be granted over 10 years to the Food Agility Cooperative Research Centre (CRC). The money will be used to fund research into how Australia's food and agriculture industries can incorporate digital technology.The research will be used to build brands, markets, jobs and exports, leading to an industry that can respond better to customer preferences, as well as reducing risks in order to invite more investment.A growing population Global food production needs to double by 2050 to feed the world's growing population. This represents an exciting opportunity for the Australian food industry, and it is hoped that this research will allow Australia to develop the infrastructure it needs to meet demand.Several universities were involved in securing the funding from the Ministry for Industry, Innovation and Science, including the Knowledge Economy Institute at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

The government has recently announced that $50 million will be granted over 10 years to the Food Agility Cooperative Research Centre (CRC). The money will be used to fund research into how Australia's food and agriculture industries can incorporate digital technology.The research will be used to build brands, markets, jobs and exports, leading to an industry that can respond better to customer preferences, as well as reducing risks in order to invite more investment.A growing population Global food production needs to double by 2050 to feed the world's growing population. This represents an exciting opportunity for the Australian food industry, and it is hoped that this research will allow Australia to develop the infrastructure it needs to meet demand.Several universities were involved in securing the funding from the Ministry for Industry, Innovation and Science, including the Knowledge Economy Institute at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).